I wonder what you think when you hear the word ‘revival’. To me, the word brings to mind an euphoric sense of wonder, but it’s couched in a number of complex layers – not least of which is a certain level of disbelief that I could be involved in an revival, let alone be an instrument of one. To be sure, a revival is firstly an act of God and not anything we do per se. Yet we do have a part, for it is also something that is borne out of deep and sustained prayer – God most very rarely does anything apart from prayer (someone may say He NEVER works apart from people praying, but as I recall He created the world without us).
Even so, the blunt fact is that many churches and many people pray for revival and yet see little if anything in response. What’s missing? Is it that God doesn’t want His people to be revived? Of course not. Christ came that we might have life, and have it abundantly (John 10:10). Further, the Lord says in His Scripture that He desires all to come to faith (2Pet 3:9). So it’s not that the Lord is unwilling to act – what then? Could it be that once you have all the pieces for revival in place you yet need a catalyst? If God is willing and we’re praying, are we missing faith? No you say – that can’t be it because we have faith. But how much? Jesus said if we have faith like a mustard seed we could move mountains. I haven’t seen any mountains moving literally, and metaphorically I’ve seen very few moved recently. Is it possible that we are so short of faith?
Fortunately, the Lord allows that we can grow our faith. Like exercising muscles grows muscles, stepping out in faith grows faith. The challenge in our Western and consumerist society then is to step out in faith. Well, that sounds easy. So does exercise. Just try to do it of and by yourself though, and you find that maintaining it long enough to make a noticeable difference is really tough. Far easier to have a personal coach to come alongside you for a time. At least till exercise (and proper nutrition) becomes a lasting behavior – an unbreakable habit, and at least till we see noticeable improvement. But to do that you’ll need to stop gorging yourself, and start listening to your personal coach. Even though they’re telling you to do things you might think are too hard for you. Even though the final goal seems hopelessly far away. If you do that – if you listen to your coach – you find that in a surprisingly short time you’re on your way to lasting fitness.
In my new role as a Seamless Link Advisor I’m a coach like that, except not a personal coach for a person’s physical betterment but a faith coach for a church’s corporate betterment. I come alongside a church and encourage/foster and build faith by creating a lasting relationship with the church to do something that’s very difficult to do by themselves, with a goal that’s flat out impossible in their present state.
Instead of weights and exercise machines to work muscles we’ll use involvement with an international worker to stretch faith. Instead of a fit physique as a goal we’ll look toward reaching a lost people group. Instead of leaving food on the plate we’ll put financial resources to work in the mission field. Over the course of a mission term we’ll find that the churches’ faith has grown. And, almost as an added bonus, the international worker’s ministry has grown. The body of Christ, working together – and suddenly revival in our church and spiritual awakening among a lost people are not pipe dreams, but reality. Praise God!
Such a wonderful process – such a wonderful result. What stops you from trying? Doesn't He say He is able to do more than we ask or imagine (Eph 3:20)? Doesn't He say He'll do what we ask if we ask Him in His Name (according to His will)? John 14:14. Do we actually have enough faith to ask Him?
No comments:
Post a Comment